


Just a Little Longer

by mimimola



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hopeful Ending, One Shot, alternate ending to the throne room scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:27:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24078979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimimola/pseuds/mimimola
Summary: He couldn't go with her, she couldn't stay. But just for now, they needed each other.-An alternate take on the throne room scene in TLJ!
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	Just a Little Longer

Ben extinguished the blue lightsaber which had pierced through the Praetorian Guard’s helmet. He stood, shoving the body away and tossing the guard’s blazing red weapon aside, staring at Rey. And she stared at him, clear on the other side of the room. They both stayed like that for a moment, eyes locked, but neither moving.

“The fleet…!” she suddenly said, breaking the tension and walking over to Snoke’s oculus. “Order them to stop firing, there’s still time to save the fleet!”

Ben was only half-listening, his attention turned to the severed halves of the man―no, the  _ monster _ who had tormented him for what had felt like a lifetime. Snoke was dead. He did that. They did that, together.

“Ben?” her voice called out. His heart clenched, letting himself hope that she was concerned about him, that she really cared.

“I’ll order them to stop firing,” he finally answered. She breathed out a sigh, looking like she was ready to collapse from relief and exhaustion. He sent word and within minutes the resistance was safe and on their way to Crait. Apparently there were even a couple of spies onboard the  _ Supremacy _ , but they were not to be harmed, as per Rey’s request, of course.

He looked over in surprise to see that she was making her way towards him, hand reaching out, but she suddenly stopped, eyes on her boots.

“I should… contact Chewie…” she said, struggling to think of what to say. “Need to get in touch him soon, head over to Crait…”

“You’re leaving?” Ben asked before he could stop himself. Hadn’t she come to all this way for him?

“Yes,” she answered immediately, eyes rising to meet his. “I came here to… to―”

“To see me,” Ben finished, taking a step towards her. He needed her to know that he… that he wanted her to…

“Stay,” he said. “You could stay. Here.”

She looked scared―not of him, but perhaps rather of something to do with him.

“Ben,” she called softly.

“Rey,” he returned, just as soft.

Amazingly, she was taking steps towards him as well, slowly but surely closing the gap between them. They were now only a couple of feet away from each other.

“I know I made the right choice in coming here,” she said, though there was still conflict in her face. “I came here to see you, because I had to―I  _ wanted  _ to, but…” she shook her head. “It’s not that simple anymore.”

“I know,” he responded, nodding slightly. “But you could still stay. We could bring a new order to the galaxy. Together.”

She shook her head again. “I don’t know if that’s what I really want. I know your heart is in the right place, but the timing isn’t right. It just isn’t.”

“But you agree,” he pressed as he took a few more steps. “It is meant to be.”

“I think we can figure it out another time.” She extended her arm out to the side and Ben’s lightsaber flew into her grasp. It was still a shock―a welcome shock, but a shock nonetheless―to see his own weapon in her hands. It suited her, the way she used her anger as a source of strength as she fought the guards. It was a great, powerful strength that he wished to see again.

“This is yours,” she said, holding out the crossguard saber for him to take. He accepted it, slowly taking the hilt and watching her hand release it. He eyed the other lightsaber in his hand―Anakin Skywalker’s, then Luke’s and now… Rey’s. For a long time, Ben had wanted it for himself.

He held it out to her. She took it, wide-eyed, the same look she gave him before they fought back-to-back against the guards. This still mysterious bond between them, it suddenly grew stronger with trust. Ben may have wanted that lightsaber, but now…

Now there was something else he wanted, some _ one _ that meant so much more to him.

“Rey.”

She watched his hands as he took his gloves off. He’d do anything to get her to remain here, at least for a little while longer. He finally closed the distance between them, their chests almost touching, and reached out to touch the wound on her right shoulder. She looked down at it in surprise, as if she forgot where it’d come from, then she quickly looked up at him again.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she assured him softly, almost a whisper. Ben held his breath as she let him run his hand slowly down the length of her arm, then finally rest on her hip. He heard her breath catch as he gently tugged her towards him. She braced a hand on his chest to balance herself.

“Ben,” she whispered, stiff at first. She searched his face, eyes flickering back and forth between his, searching. Then, as if finding some kind of resolution there, she relaxed and leaned up on her toes. Ben closed his eyes before he felt her lips touch his. His other arm wrapped around her shoulders as they kissed and Rey rested her hands on his chest and back.

Rey pulled away first, but Ben kept her close, her nose barely touching his.

“Please,” he said. “Don’t go.”

She had that look of conflict again, torn between two minds. Finally, she responded, “you know what I have to do.”

Sighing, he stroked her cheek with his thumb, then looked around. He’d completely forgotten they were still in the throne room, torn to shreds by their battle and the severed Supreme Leader barely hanging onto the throne. He didn’t want to look at it now.

“Just a little longer,” he whispered. A small smile graced her lips and she nodded. She brought a hand behind his neck to kiss him again.

**Author's Note:**

> I noticed that Rey and Ben tend to talking about their feelings for each other without really talking about their feelings! I think they're both excited and scared of what the two of them together might mean, even though they both want it so much, so I really wanted to convey that here. I think given time, they'll be able to say explicitly how they feel ;)  
> Of course I'll love The Last Jedi the way it is and I wouldn't change a thing, but I thought it'd be fun to re imagine how the scene could have gone.
> 
> My original post on tumblr for this artwork can be found [here!](https://minamorsart.tumblr.com/post/616121510355140608/angsty-tlj-kiss-i-dont-normally-draw-kisses-so)
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


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